La Crêperie, Iconic Lebanese Restaurant, Is Ready to Entertain its A-List Clientele Again

There are many reasons Le Crêperie is an icon in Lebanon. It’s been feeding the glitzy partiers who flock to the coastal resort of Jounieh, less than a half hour north of Beirut, since 1968. It was the first restaurant in the country to serve classic, authentic French crêpes. Perched on a cliff overlooking Jounieh Bay, it occupies a 19th former private mansion and has counted ambassadors and A-listers alike as guests. Now, after closing for three years for renovations, it’s ready to do it again.

Now open year-round, serving lunch, drinks and dinner, La Crêperie seats 150 people indoors—and a whopping 400 outside in its expansive gardens. The menu still focuses on sophisticated French fare: buckwheat galettes and crêpes filled with thyme and olive oil, or sugar, Grand Marnier, and butter; steak tartare and salade niçoise, primarily sourced nearby.

Owner Chafic El Khazen—the nephew of the original owner, and the CEO of SKY Management, which owns SKYBAR and O1NE House of Entertainment—tapped Lebanese designer Maggy Monsef to oversee the new look. She retained the classic fountain and vintage tiled floors, then infused it with French elements—hunting trophies, vintage plates, and antique furniture plucked from the famous Marché aux Puces in Paris. The architect on the project was none other than Sari El Khazen, Chafic's brother, who has also led the design for several other SKY projects.

The color palette and light, airy space are in sync with the Mediterranean location, and large windows and outdoor seating give ample opportunity for viewing Jounieh Bay below. A cliff-side bar, opening in the coming months, is modeled after a traditional underground abu, and will certainly please the party-goers for which Jounieh is famous.

Corina Quinn is the digital travel editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.

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La Crêperie, Iconic Lebanese Restaurant, Is Ready to Entertain its A-List Clientele Again

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